The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-08
THE JUBILEE OF LEO XIII.
A National Festival in His Honor in
aVaria.
Eronl "a .Nelc York SNl.

SentatlVeS or her WOrklngnen TO Rome on
the occasion of the Pope's sacerdotal jubilee,
so Bavaria has been the first to inaugurate
the solemn jubilee celebrations by grand
national festival in Munich.
1t is q remarkable fact that when the
sacerdotal Jubilee of Plus TX was to be cell
ebrated in 1860, and at the approach of the
Vatican Council, the first movement for
giving to this anniversary worldwide
character originated at Bamberg i'll Ba-
varia. AT that very time Prince Clovis
Hohenlohe, then Prime Minister of Bavaria
and DR.. Doellmger were stirring heaven and
earth against the papacy, and creating the
"Old Catholic" schism, which excited so
much enthusiasm in mont Catholic circles on
both sides Of the Atlantic We remember the
first Old Catholic Council held in Munich,
and the conversation of DR.. Reinkens as
first bishop of church which, it was hoped
and said, would draw to itself the great
majority of the Catholic population of Ger.
many.
Now, poor Doellinger and his ''Old Catho-
licn church have disappeared, but the feast
just held i'll Munich attests that the Church
of St. Boniface still lives in Germany in
the vigor of her eternal youth.
The east was national demonstration Of
love and reverence toward the holy father.
Though all ranks of the clergy, nobility and
people united to give it this national charac-
ter, it was left to the laity to organize and
carry it out All Bavaria, by its repre-
sentative men, took part in it.
The place chosen for the assemblages was
the magnificent Catholic Club House or
Casino Of Nun ch. The great hall is one of
the largest and most beautiful in Germany.
And as Munich is the paradise of German
artists, they took Oh themselves to decorate
the hall for the occasion with taste and
splendor worthy of the reputation of the
city. The elite of eall Bavaria assembled
there to do honor to the common parent,
the pontiff, who has labored SO patiently
and so successfully to establish in Germany
a true and lasting religious peace instead of
the desolating persecution of the kultur-
kampf.
Foremost among the princes, mobiles and
distinguished public men was Mgr. Ruffo-
Scilla, the nuncio and by his side were
Archbishop Won Steichele, of Munich, and
Bishop Won Leonrod of Eichstadt. 1t was
p brilliant circle which surrounded them
the royal court. the members of both cham
hers, the high courts of judicature, the arts
tocracY, the clergy of Munich. the great
body of citizens, with the deputations from
the provinces. No such occasion had ever
before called together all that is best in the
kingdom. IL was a great family gathering
animated by intense love for faith ", and
this feeling found expression in thousand
ways.
grand symphony from Weber seemed
TO act as a soothing spell on the multitude,
hushing them into silence, and preparing
them for the real flow Of soul which fol
lowed. Count Won Preysing, the President
of the Catholic Union of Bavaria, opened
the proceedings. Tie Catholics of the king
dom had come there he said, to say to Leo
XIII, Thou art Peter" and to pay public
homage to the virtues and statesmanlille
E h T.
preliminary, the blessing of the prelateS
who represented there the Holy See and the
chU oh.
The Archbishop of Munich, whose elo-
quent pastoral letter, published some time
before had stimulated and encouraged the
organizers of this feast, now stood forth
amid the hearty acclamations of the vast
assemblage. II am proud, he said, ITO
see before me this splendid manifestation of
Catholic spirit Yes, this means that we
all are faithful to the church. that we love
her, and yield a hearty obedience to her
authority and to the person of her supreme
pontitf. | also lift my heart to him who
said to Simon, Thou art Peter and beseech
Him to send down on you his choicest bless
lngs."
Then Canon Kagerer gave a rapid and
pregnant review OF the life and acts of Leo
KIN. After an eloquent apostrophee to
Italy Tue W uOl1 Ou6 Cee Ol
Peter, and which now persecutes the church
and leaves her head only the uncertain lib
erty of the Vatican and its garden, DIR.
Kagerer sketched the efforts of Leo XIII.
to pacify and unite the peoples of the West
and the East, and his interchangeable zeal for
the conversion of the heather nations.
What the Pope has accomplished, he said,
during the ten years of his pontfcate, as
during his long episcopal career in Perugia,
Nxyoc or ha of
sonal prudence and wisdom. but the fruit of
his trust in prayer. He has been unceasing
in urging the entire Catholic world to do
violence to heaven by their applications
And these have been heard.
Leo KILL" he said, in concluding, lis
the grandest figure of our times. That is
why all Christendom is preparing to cele-
brate the fittieth anniversary of his eleva-
tion to the priesthood. Kings and princes,
civilized nations and even uncivilized
tribes, the rich and the poor alike, are COM
ing to lay at his feet their offerings and
their congratulations. Through
his illustrious representative here present,
Catholic Bavaria offers to Leo XIII. the
loving assurance of the unimpaired fidelity
which has survived the revolutions of cen
turtles, and no length of time can weaken
1t was well that churchman should have
the privilege of sketching the life of the
Pope. But the leading minds among
Bavaria's statesmen and publicists now
spoke in succession on the most striking
characteristics of his pontifcate and his at
titude toward the social difficulties of our
times. Herr Rupert, a member of the
Bavarian Legislature, delivered a remarka-
BILE address on the relations of Leo XIII. to-
ward the society of the nineteenth century.
The labors of the Pope to preserve, purify
and elevate home life and the Christian
family; his defense of Christian natrimony
and Christian education; his zeal in provid-
ing for the needs of the poor while furnish
ing them profitable labor, and his successful
efforts to organize workingmen's societies
based OH Christian principles and practice
all was treated eioquently and tellingly.
There is no sphere of public or private
life" he said. ION which Leo XIII has not
poured with discreet wisdom a flood of
light; no class of men to whom he has not
given instruction in conformity with the
needs of the world around them. For us
Catholics his teachings on the actual move
ments and tendencies of society, and on the
means of remedying existing social evils,
are SO many beacon lights guiding us
through storm and breakers. He
has brought peace to Germany, aud her
greatest statesman gratefully acknowledges
the service and the surprising genius of the
peacemaker + Pity, that fulfilling
such a sublime and ecumenical office, he
should be in Italy little else than a prisoner
with bis sacred liberty restricted.
To this guide and teacher we offer the hon.